Barca to rival Arsenal for free-agent, Aston Villa goal ex-Chelsea star

Aston Villa are eyeing one other £100m-plus flop and his Actual Madrid team-mate, whereas Barcelona fancy a few Prem-based midfielders as free-agency looms…

VILLA EYE REAL, BARCA STARS
Unai Emery is off to a belting begin at Aston Villa, beating Manchester United final week earlier than coming from behind on Sunday to win at Brighton. Not surprisingly, consideration is already turning to his first signings as Villa boss.

Inevitably, Emery is being linked with quite a few Spanish-based gamers. There have been whispers final week that the former Villarreal boss was looking to raid his former club for central defender Pau Torres, whereas experiences this morning recommend he’s casting his eye in the direction of Barcelona and Actual Madrid.

El Nacional reckons Emery fancies two Actual stars who discover themselves out of the image on the Bernabeu. The primary is Eden Hazard. Apparently, the Villa boss believes he might help the Belgium star recuperate the ‘greatest model’ of himself, which hasn’t been seen since he left Chelsea in 2019 for over £100million. Actual are prepared to do enterprise for a knockdown payment of £17million, or they may conform to a mortgage.

Nacho Fernandez could be even cheaper, with the 34-year-old’s contract as a result of finish subsequent summer season. Emery needs to signal the central defender to assist cowl for the absence of one other centre-back signed from Spain, Diego Carlos, who has been crocked for the reason that first weeks of the season.

Villa are additionally among the many golf equipment monitoring Franck Kessie’s scenario. The Barcelona midfielder only moved to the Nou Camp as a free agent during the summer however already there’s discuss of him being flipped by the Catalans to lift a number of euros.

Sport says Villa are prepared to pay simply over £12million for the Ivorian however Fulham have put aside £19million for the ex-AC Milan star.

BARCA RIVAL ARSENAL FOR TIELEMANS
Barca are eager to strengthen their midfield by signing Bernardo Silva from Manchester Metropolis. However they recognise such a deal could be tough to do in January. So they’ll settle for one of his City team-mates.

Metropolis have slightly much less of a say over Ilkay Gundogan’s future for the reason that Germany midfielder is approaching the tip of his contract subsequent yr. Gundogan is believed to fancy a brand new problem and the prospect of becoming a member of Barcelona appeals to the 32-year-old.

However Mundo Deportivo says Barca are additionally contemplating a transfer for Youri Tielemans, who can be heading in the direction of free company. Tielemans has been in nice type of late, taking part in a serious position in Leicester’s revival. Ought to he have an honest World Cup with Belgium, Barca gained’t be the one membership banging on the Foxes’ door within the new yr.

Learn extra: World Cup squads: Almost every final 26-man squad for Qatar here now